Egg Story

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

As comfortable as its rustic, thatched-roofed surroundings, this simple and accurate story makes the breakfast egg a primary biology lesson. In unpretentious, straightforward language, Hariton traces the tiny white lump as it feeds on the shrinking egg yolk and grows into a chick large enough to peck its way out of the shell. The story alternates between the worlds inside and outside the shell in easy and natural rhythm. The homey watercolor, pencil and ink illustrations align seamlessly with the writing to present fundamental reproductive processes that will connect youngsters to more sophisticated biology. With an understatement characteristic of the entire presentation, Hariton describes the enormous effort and countless pecks required to crack open a shell: ``Hatching is hard work''--a metaphor for those of any age who seek to break out of the old into the new. An exemplary blend of storybook and nonfiction. Ages 5-7. (May)

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-- Set in a farmyard, this story follows a chick's development inside an egg from the moment it is laid to its hatching. In simple terms, the text provides factual information on the 21-day process, focusing on the chick's development and the role of the hen in incubation. Cutaway views of the egg reveal the chick and yolk at various stages. The large, attractive watercolor illustrations strike a balance between strict realism when portraying the chick's growth and a looser style when showing the rest of the barnyard. Johnson's detailed Inside an Egg (Lerner, 1982) is for older children, while Cole's A Chick Hatches (Morrow, 1976) and Selsam's Egg to Chick (HarperCollins, 1970) are geared for beginning readers. Hariton's visually striking book, with its compact facts, is a welcome addition to easy nonfiction shelves. --Marge Loch-Wouters, Menasha Public Library, WI